New York State Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act (2009)

Contents

The New York State Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act is a measure that may appear on the November 3, 2009 ballot in Albany, New York, concerning improvements to energy efficiency and creation of "green collar jobs."[1]

In a letter to the speaker of the New York State Assembly and the majority leader of the New York State Senate, supporters write:

New Yorkers need a bold new initiative now to protect our clean drinking waters, accelerate the
pace of the State’s critical environmental protection programs, invest in new jobs to move NewYork toward energy security; and to make New York State the leader in the 21st Century GreenEconomy.[2]

Reason for measure

Supporters say the $5 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act will create long term improvements to energy efficiency and create green-collar jobs.

"Even a conservative view of this bond act suggests that it would create over 100,000 new jobs for New Yorkers. These would be good-paying jobs in management, construction, and innovative industries," said Jim Melius, administrator NYS Laborers Tri Funds. "These new jobs would put New York firmly on the track to becoming a leader in green technology at the cost of less than $4.00 a month per household."[3]

Those testifying in support of putting the bond act on the ballot said that they believe that if it passes, it will improve wastewater infrastructure, energy efficiency, transit, public health protection and economic development projects. They also believe it will create "green-collar" jobs and accelerate infrastructure projects."

The opposing side to an issue like this will believe that the money will largely be spent inefficiently and that had it been invested elsewhere, it would have generated just as many jobs.

The idea that the spending will create 100,000 jobs is unsupported by a study and seems to come more from an advocacy press release.

Path to the ballot

A coalition of supporters has been assembled in anticipation of the introduction of legislation. This will lead to potential authorization of creation of a state debt when creating the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act of 2009 and providing for the submission of a proposition that will then be voted on at the general election in November 2009.[4]